The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP), a CA-based nonprofit research organization, has released of a Monograph and Therapeutic Compendium for oshá (Ligusticum porter) and closely related species. The monograph was a joint effort of AHP, United Plant Savers, and the ERB Foundation of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA).

According to AHP President Roy Upton, “The osha monograph is historic in that it is the first pharmacopoeia monograph ever developed for this botanical. Not only does it present the rich history of ethnobotanical use of one of the most important of North American indigenous plants, it presents detailed information on sustainable harvest practices based on formal population studies that were also underwritten by the AHPA-ERB Foundation and conducted by Dr. Kelly Kindscher of the University of Kansas."

Oshá, also known as bear root, has a unique history of use for thing such as warding off snakes or cut worms. The herb is called “bear root” in Native American and North American cultures because bears have been observed consuming it prior to hibernation, or when sick or injured.

A unique feature of the oshá monograph is that it recognizes the fact that multiple species of Ligusticum were referred to as oshá or bear root, most specifically L. canbyi, L. filicinum, L. grayi, and L. tenuifolium. This is significant in that most anyone using oshá believes they are using L. porteri, because that is the name assigned to oshá in popular writings and in Herbs of Commerce. However, the reality is that the species are very difficult even for experts to distinguish. This is equally significant due to the fact that oshá is not readily cultivated. While some successful attempts have been made, it has not yet proven to be a commercially sustainable proposition. This makes utilization of multiple species, especially closely related species such as European lovage (Levisticum officinalis) that are easily cultivated, important to consider.

The Oshá Monograph and Therapeutic Compendium (PDF) is available for order on the AHP website.

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